


like whispering, "you know me."

by goldcode



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter/Funhaus RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Boarding School, M/M, Tattoos, Unrequited Crush, Unrequited Love, stick and pokes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-25
Updated: 2017-05-25
Packaged: 2018-11-04 17:10:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10995291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goldcode/pseuds/goldcode
Summary: It's not like Daniel Gruchy hasn't fallen in love with anybody else since he met Gavin Free- it just looks that way.And if Gavin Free has ever caught on to Dan's feelings, then, well, he must be a great friend... Since he acts like he doesn't see how much Gruchy drools.But Gavin Free being oblivious is nothing new.





	like whispering, "you know me."

“It won’t hurt that much!” Gavin said, not that he would know how painful it is. That’s why Dan is here. To see how much it hurts. “It’s just a needle. You’ve gotten shots before. You can’t even get into this school without getting loaded up with needles.”

“Well yeah but still, that’s just a few pokes from it. This is about 20 or more!” The India ink sat between them, top lost somewhere in the grass. A pen with a (mostly) sterile needle taped to it was set across the open jar. Of course Gavin would get into stick-and-pokes at some point, Dan just hoped that he would get into it when they had easier access to supplies.

“It’s only 20, a real tat would be much more!”

“Fine! Fine. Do it before I change my mind.”

What was Dan to do. Refuse Gavin? He would annoy him for weeks on end until Dan agreed to get the stupid stick-and-poke. Would Dan really want to deal with that? Gavin would be upset for weeks if he didn’t agree. Gavin would be mad about buying these supplies with no one to test them on.

Dan seems to realize he does most stuff based on how Gavin would feel about the outcome.

Dan seems to realize he has broken far too many bones just to amuse Gavin’s interest of the week.

Dan realized long ago how far he would go to make Gavin happy.

And sure, he thought that was just what best friends do for each other, jumping off a bridge into freezing cold water just for Gavin to laugh and record. Setting deodorant on fire to see Gavin’s eyes light up. Sneaking out of dorms after Gavin would get homesick, just to wander around campus. Telling him how unattractive and unfunny and how much of an asshole Gavin’s crush is. All best friend things.

Dan felt the poke on his ankle. Hiss. A ‘sorry,’ and a wipe of wet paper towel over the black dot on Dan’s skin. A nod, meaning ‘continue.’ A grin.

Gavin’s grin never left as he poked his drawing to skin, no matter how much Dan thought about removing it. All he had to do was grab Gavin’s hand, stop him from his art, tilt his chin up, and move in. In his dreams, Gavin would meet him halfway. In his dreams, Gavin thinks about Dan the way Dan thinks about Gavin. God, how he thinks about Gavin. Gavin is flawed. He’s impulsive. He’s forgetful. He forgets common sense until he steps behind a camera. Then he’s speaking a different language Dan can only pretend to understand. The differences in aspect ratios and the meanings behind them. How exposure affects focal range. How to make a pop filter out of pantyhose. How different faces can look depending on your camera specs. Gavin made a whole day out of that. Daniel didn’t learn anything aside from how golden Gavin’s eyes look when he’s talking about something he _loves_. Gavin can pick out a .35mm lens out of a line of of hundreds of lenses, Dan can pick out Gavin in a crowd of sandy blonds just by looking at his shoes.

They both have their talents.

Gavin wrote the rough draft of the tattoo in blue ink. Dan can still see the shadow of blue behind the dots currently covering the rough draft.

It’s an hour later when he’s finally done. Dan’s ankle hurts more than anything he knows so far, but it’s worth it. It was so worth it.

Gavin’s signature is penned on his ankle for the rest of the world to see. He doesn’t care who sees. He wants to show everyone. He settles for showing Gavin. “God, it hurts. I never want another tattoo, why do people enjoy that?”

“You’re just a wimp, I know one guy who has sleeves.”

“Nobody here has sleeves!”

“Exactly! He doesn’t go here, B.”

It’s not like it hurt Dan that he had other friends. At least, that’s what he says to himself.

“Alright, well, unless your friend is getting me ice to put on this war wound, I don’t want to hear it.”

Gavin just laughs at Dan, reaching blindly behind him to grab the saran wrap he bought. “Told you you were a wimp.”

“Excuse you, out of the two of us, who has a tattoo now? Oh right, I think it’s me.”

“Out of the two of us, who almost cried getting it?”

“You do not get to bring that up, I got stuck with a needle 50 times, I counted!” Dan threw the closest thing to him, which just so happen to be Dan’s shoe, at Gavin. Who was, of course, squeaking and running away.

Until he ran back and grabbed the shoe.

Before taking off again.

Dan yelled.

“Get back here! I’m not just gonna be stuck here with one shoe! _Gavin_!”

Gavin looked as if he was enjoying life as much as a smug teen could. Stolen shoe in hand, Gavin attempted a heel click as Dan could only watch on.

Dan only wished he had the courage to say something, anything, to Gavin. Maybe-

_I love you._

_I always have._

_I love the way you fall asleep on my shoulder during movies._

_The way you stay close when we go through crowds._

_The way you’re extremely lucky and unlucky all at once._

_The way you can handle a camera with utmost care, then break every phone you hold._

_The way your grow your hair out long just to cut it shorter than ever._

_I love the way you piss everyone off, in an endearing way._

_I love the way you’re an asshole, in an endearing way._

_I love that you’re endearing, even when being a total minge._

But Dan is done with those feelings.

Who is he to ruin a friendship just because a teenage crush? One that has lasted longer than any phase he’s been through. Earth has revolved around the sun 10 times since they’ve met. 120 months have passed. 520 weeks have passed. 3650 days. 87600 hours. He thinks about the milliseconds they’ve known each other for.

Gavin runs back, shoe in hand.

Dan stares at him.

The sun is behind him. His hair looks golden and wiry. Frizzy maybe. His eyes are dark in this angle. Dan would rather his eyes shine.

“Gavin.”

“Daniel.”

He could tell him now. This could be a great story for the future. ‘Remember the time you gave me a tattoo of your signature and then I told you how utterly in love with you I am? Good times.”

“I love the tattoo.”


End file.
